Yukon: Landscapes and Northern Lights

Join Marc and Andy, and our expert local guide, Kevin Pepper on this landscape photography adventure workshop! This amazing wilderness adventure will take you back to the early days of transportation by dog sled and snowmobile. You will spend your days mushing on the training grounds of many a quest musher, winding your way through some of the most spectacular wilderness in the Yukon. We will photograph early and late light in spectacular scenery—all the while teaching or reinforcing techniques in composition, the art of seeing, shooting for HDR, panoramas, and more. But it doesn't stop there. With clear skies and solar activity, we hope to shoot the northern lights and stars well into the night! We will have six full days of shooting the landscape and the wildlife that inhabits it—birds, mountain goats, thinhorn sheep, and more.

You will spend the first few days learning the basics of mushing and each day the trails will advance slightly in difficulty. Relax in the evenings with a shower, a sauna, or in our cozy lodge by the wood stove. Then step back in time in our wall tent camp at Dry Creek. We do everything we can to ensure that this is your adventure of a lifetime and that you go home with many happy memories of your visit in the remote outback of the Yukon.

Itinerary and General Information

Day 0: December 1st, 2016: You will fly from your home to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, arriving anytime this day.

Day 1: December 2nd, 2016: The workshop officially starts with a welcome dinner in town, at 6pm.

Day 2: December 3, 2016: We depart the hotel lobby at 10:00 am. As a group we will do some last minute shopping and pick up any items missing from the packing list. Afterwards we will drive to the Sky High Wilderness Ranch, 20km South of Whitehorse where we outfit you with your expedition clothing. Enjoy a hot lunch, get acquainted with your new home and photograph the horses that freely roam the property, and then be introduced to your 4 legged companions for the week.

Now you learn the basics of dog care: checking their feet and shoulders, dog massage, sledding and parts of the sled. Harness your team, hook up, and go for your very first run! After taking care of the dogs we can enjoy the sauna, have a shower, hot dinner and cozy up by the fire. If the aurora is forecasted, we will be heading out to photograph natures paint brush as it colors the snow and frozen lakes green and magenta. Overnight at Sky High Wilderness Ranch.

Day 3: December 4, 2016: We will gather for a pre-dawn breakfast in the comfort of our lodge dining room and discuss our day. Then, while the morning sun lifts slowly over the magnificent horizon, we say good morning to our canine friends and ensure they are fed, watered and happy. Of course we find time to shoot the sunrise and capture the beautiful morning light. Today we cover approximately 35km, driving towards secluded Jackson Lake. The only sound will be the runners in the snow, the working dogs, the clicking of your shutters, and your words of encouragement.

This is the day that you begin to know each dog's personality and form a bond that only man, woman and dog can understand. Every time we stop to take photos of snow covered landscapes and mountain ranges, we also make sure that we praise and show of affection for our dogs, so they will learn to trust you and you to trust them—and yes, even start to pose for some great photos.

Tonight we will relax in our sod roof sauna before retiring for the night—but if the aurora is out, expect to be photographing well into the night! Overnight at Sky High Wilderness Ranch.

Day 4: December 5, 2016: This day takes us towards beautiful Bonneville Lakes, west of the ranch. The trails are narrower here with some challenging ups and downs. The scenery is breathtaking and the coastal mountains are always in view to the south and west. Part of the trip will be above tree line and easily cover 20-30km. In harmony with the running rhythm of your team, you will enjoy nature like you have never experienced it before….no sounds, no humans, and only the sun to guide us. There is a gravity fed shower and sauna waiting for you in the lodge. Again, we will shoot the night sky if it is clear! Overnight at Sky High Wilderness Ranch.

Day 5: December 6, 2016: The trail on this day follows the shores of Fish Lake, climbs and heads into the coastal mountain range to the south. We promise you will enjoy the crisp freshness of this day and we won’t even have to remind you to take photos! There is a photo at every turn.

Curl up at night by the woodstove for a cozy sleep in our wall tents. Today we will travel by snowmobile so that we have the flexibility to travel at night to hunt for the aurora amidst the mountains and open meadows covered by a blanket of snow. Overnight at Wall tent Camp.

Day 6: December 7, 2016: At dawn enjoy a hearty camp breakfast in our wall tent kitchen. From our camp, weather permitting, we will make a run to the top of the mountain above the tree line to Ptarmigan Flats. Keep your eyes open for ptarmigan—a beautiful white bird—while sledding on miles of windblown hill tops. Today again we travel by snowmobile so that we have the flexibility to travel at night to hunt for the auroras! Overnight at Wall tent Camp.

Day 7: December 8, 2016: Wake with the sun as it starts to paint the skies, then return to the camp for a hot cup of coffee and a hearty breakfast. On this last day breathe deeply the fresh clean air and take in the rugged landscape one last time as you drive west towards Sky High Wilderness Ranch. As you push the white powder aside with your sled, it’s time to soak the beautiful scenery of the remote landscapes one last time.

Return to Sky High Wilderness Ranch for a hot lunch. Then head over to say good bye to your new friends that pulled you early in the week and take some photos of the kennel that has 140 huskies and other dogs that pull the sleds. Now we pack up and enjoy the drive winding down Fish Lake Rd. to Whitehorse for our last night at the Westmark Whitehorse. Once we arrive in Whitehorse you will receive your musher diploma and a shuttle pass. We will have a final dinner in town and reflect on an amazing photographic adventure.

Day 8: December 9, 2016: Flights home anytime, from Whitehorse airport. There is a shuttle from our hotel to the airport, flights depart in the mornings and afternoon from Whitehorse to either Vancouver or Edmonton.

We point out, that unforeseeable circumstances such as weather conditions, wind chill factor, extreme temperatures (-30 or lower), condition of the group or illness of the dogs may force us to change this itinerary. The safety of our guests takes precedence and our decisions are final.

What’s Included

Single accommodations in Whitehorse

Double occupancy at our lodge

Dorm-style sleeping at tented camp

All meals, lodging, transportation during the workshop

Photographic guiding and instruction from three pros

Dog sled and teams, snowmobile, winter boots, sleeping bag

What’s Not Included?

Air transportation to and from Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Alcoholic beverages. Items of a personal nature. Guide gratuities. Trip and cancellation insurance. Anything not listed as included.

Payment Terms

Your deposit of $2,500 USD will hold your space. Balance of $3,995 USD is due not later than September 15, 2016. All of our standard terms and conditions apply.

Additional Information

This workshop is sold out. Please contact us to be placed on a waiting list in the event a space opens up. And don't forget to check out our other workshops.

Gallery

Muench Workshops offers personal instruction and an all-inclusive experience so you can focus on your photography. Founded in 2007, we collaborate with the best pros and local guides to offer the ultimate learning environment for landscape and wildlife photographers, so you can best capture our beautiful planet.